Spinnerette



I0 9 ll. NH 'n INVENTOR. RUSSEL F BAER Mayh 11, 1965 R. F. BAERSPINNERETTE Filed June 25. lesa ATTORNEY United States Patent O3,182,352 SPINNERETTE Russel F. Baer, Decatur, Aia., assigner toMonsanto Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 25, 1962, Ser.No. 204,693 3 Claims. (Cl. 1S-8) This invention relates to spinnerettesand more particularly to spinnerettes for spinning filaments which havedifferent compositions distributed in discrete ports throughout.

To avoid the use of crimping machinery, chemical filaments are sometimesspun from'two or more different spinning compositions as conjugate ofcomposite filaments and then annealed. The annealing operation causesthe filaments to crimp and curl. One of the disadvantages of thisprocedure is that the conventional conjugate spinnerette is so complexthat the number of holes therein is severely limited. This holds downproduction rates. With this in mind, one `of the objects of thisinvention is to provide a novel and improved device for spinningfilaments.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device for spinningfilaments having discrete portions of a plurality of spinningcompositions distributed throughout.

A further object of this invention is to provide a spinnerette in whichtwo spinning compositions are combined in discrete portions and movedthrough a conventional spinnerette plate.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a spinnerettehaving a pair of closely spaced spinnerette plates wherein a firstspinning composition is forced axially through both spinnerette platesand another composition is forced laterally into the space between theplates to flow through the downstream plate.

One embodiment of the present invention contemplates a spinning devicewherein a pair of conventional spinnerette plates are secured in closelyspaced relationship. A first spinning composition is forced axiallythrough both spinnerette plates, while a second spinning composition isforced laterally into the space between the spinnerette plates. The twocompositions iiow together through the downstream spinnerette plates toform filaments. Because of the high viscosity and slow fiow rate of thetwo compositions, these compositions do not mix to any great extent.Instead, there is a fairly clear line of demarcation between adjacentportions of the two compositions. The discrete portions of the twocompositions flow through the downstream spinnerette plate to formfilaments which are made up of discrete portions of the compositions.Such a filament will crimp and curl when annealed.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunctionwith the appended drawing, in which FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal crosssection of the device of the invention showing the construction thereof,and

FIGURES 2-6 are enlarged side views of fragments of the filamentsshowing typical lines of demarcation between the two compositions makingup the filaments.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, a pair of annular spacers orrings 11 and 12 are shown supporting a pair of closely spaced,conventional spinnerettes 14 and 15 on an inner manifold element 16. Anapertured distribution plate 2t) and the elements 11, 12, 14 and 15 arestacked on the element 16 as shown so that a first spinning composition,flowing from a source 21 through an inlet line 22 connected to theelement 16, ows axially through the holes in the distribution plate andthen through the spinnerette plates 14 and 15.

The elements 11, 12, and 14-16 are clamped and held in stackedrelationship by a pair of caps 25 and 26 which are constructed andthreaded together as shown. The caps 25 and 26 have an internal diametersuch that an annular space 30 is provided around the inner manifolds 16and the spacer elements 11 and 12.

A second spining composition is fed from a source 31 through a line 32and into the annular space 39. The spacer or ring 12 is provided with aplurality of spaced apertures or ports 34 interconnectiing the annularspace 30 with the space 36 between the spinnerette plates 14 and 15 sothat the second composition can flow laterally into the space betweenthe spinnerette plates.

In operation of the device, the first spinning composition is forcedinto the inner manifold made up of the elements 11 and 16. Thiscomposition is distributed throughout the inner manifold by thedistribution plate 20 and then fifows axially through both of thespinnerette plates 14 and 15. The second composition is forced from thesource 31 into the annular space or outer manifold 3i), from which itflows through the ports 34 laterally into the space 36 between thespinnerette plates 14 and 15.

The two compositions merge in the space 36 between the spinneretteplates. Because of the high viscosities and low flow rates, thesecompositions do not actually mix to any substantial extent. Instead,there are fairly clear lines of demarcation between the differentportions of the two compositions in the space 36. Thus, when the mergedcompositions are forced through the downstream plate 15 to formfilaments 37, these filaments will be made up of discrete portions ofthe two compositions. The lines of demarcation between these discreteportions, which extend across the filament at random, different angles,are of different and random configuration. The lines 40, 41, 42, 43 and44 in FIGURES 26 are typical of the lines of demarcation separating thetwo compositions in the filaments. It can readily be seen that anannealing of the filaments 37 will cause these filaments to crimp andcurl.

One of the advantages of having the spinnerette plates 14 and 15 closelyspaced is that the discrete portions of each composition will besmaller, i.e., each portion will extend for less distance along thefilament. This results in a more uniform crimp or curl in the annealedfilament.

It is to be understood that the embodiment disclosed herein may bemodified or amended and that numerous other embodiments can becontemplated which will fall Within the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for spinning filaments, comprising a housing having a firstpassageway therethrough, a pair of spinnerette plates mounted in spacedrelationship -on the housing in such a manner that a spinningcomposition forced through spinning orifices in the first passagewayflows axially through both of said spinnerette plates, and meanssurrounding the housing to form a second passageway, said housing havingtherein a plurality of apertures interconnecting the second passagewayand the space between the spinnerette plates, said apertures beingsubstantially equi-distant between the spinnerette plates, each of saidspinnerette plates having therein an array of spinning `orificesextending substantially across and covering the face thereof so thatsubstantially all of the face of each said spinnerette plate is providedwith spinning orifices.

2. A device for spinning filaments, comprising a manifold element havingan aperture therethrough, a first spinnerette plate mounted on themanifold element, a spacer ring mounted fon the first spinnerette plate,a second spinnerette plate mounted on the spacer ring in such a mannerthat a lfirst spinning composition passed through the `aperture in themanifold element flows axially through spinning orices in bothspinnerette plates, said spacer ring having therein a plurality ofradial apertures, and a second manifold surrounding the spacer ring fordirecting a second spinning composition through the apertures in saidring into the spacer between the spinnerette plates, each of saidspinnerette plates having therein an array of spinning yorificesextending substantially across and covering the face thereof so thatsubstantially all of `the face of each said spinnerette plate isprovided with spinning orifices.

3. A devioe for spinning laments, comprising a manifold element havingtherein a central aperture, a irst spinknerette plate mounted on themanifold element, a spacer ring mounted on the rst spinnerette plate, asecond spinnerette plate mounted on the spacer ring, each of saidspinnerette plates having vtherein an array of spinning orices extendingsubstantially across and Vcovering the face thereof so thatsubstantially all of the face oi' each said spinnerette plate isprovided with spinning,r orifices, said spinnerette plates and spacerring beingr mounted in axial alignment with the aperture in the manifoldelement, and a pair of caps'secured together to enclose and secure thespnnerette plates and the spacer ring to the manifold element, said capshaving an internal diameter suchV that 5 a space is provided around thespacer ring, said spacer ring having therein a plurality of radialapertures interconnecting said space and the space betweentheespinnerette plates.

References Cited by the Examiner 628,660 10/61 Canada.v v 837,555 11/38France. 198,876 7/58 Germany..

2O MICHAEL V. BRINDISI, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT `F. WHITE, WILLIAM I. STEPHENSON,

. Examiners.

1. A DEVICE FOR SPINNING FILAMENTS, COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING A FIRST PASSAGEWAY THERETHROUGH, A PAIR OF SPINNERETTE PLATES MOUNTED IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP ON THE HOUSING IN SUCH A MANNER THAT A SPINNING COMPOSITION FORCED THROUGH SPINNING ORIFICES IN THE FIRST PASSAGEWAY FLOWS AXIALLY THROUGH BOTH OF SAID SPINNERETTE PLATES, AND MEANS SURROUNDING THE HOUSING TO FORM A SECOND PASSAGEWAY, SAID HOUSING HAVING THEREIN A PLURALITY OF APERTURES INTERCONNECTING THE SECOND PASSAGEWAY AND THE SPACE BETWEEN THE SPINNERETTE PLATES, SAID APERTURES BEING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUI-DISTANT BETWEEN THE SPINNERETTE PLATES, EACH OF SAID SPINNERETTE PLATES HAVING THEREIN AN ARRAY OF SPINNING ORIFICES EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY ACROSS THE COVERING THE FACE THEREOF SO THAT SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE FACE OF EACH SAID SPINNERETTE PLATE IS PROVIDED WITH SPINNING ORIFICES. 